If you’re a small business retailer who sells products from the internet, you need to be extra cautious about the risk of online fraud and ID theft.  Below are tips for both buyers and sellers on how to do an online business more safely:

FOR ONLINE RETAILERS:

Use a secured server.

An internet merchant should only use a secured server with at least 128-bit data encryption.  A secured server will protect both you and your customers as you receive credit card payments online. 

Prepare Your Merchant Privacy Policy.

A legitimate online seller should post a Privacy Protection and be true to its Policies.  Assure your customers that you will never use or sell their personal information for any other purposes except for that purchase.

Always use an updated anti-virus program.

Install an updated anti-virus program to protect your computer system from viruses, malicious files, spyware and hackers trying to invade your files.

Open a Merchant Account from a trusted provider.

Since you will be accepting credit card payments from your customers, it is crucial to apply for a Merchant Account from a trusted and secured Merchant Account provider.  See to it that their credit card processing system will give you protection against online credit fraud and ID thieves.

FOR BUYERS:

Manually type the URL in your address bar.

If you want to buy from an online merchant, it’s best to simply type the complete URL in your address bar.  Instead of clicking links that could lead to a fake site or phishing website, you can be sure that you’re on the right website by manually typing the web address.

Purchase only from reputable merchants.

Some online sellers may offer incredibly low prices for the same products and services.  However, it is better to purchase from a reputable merchant than risk purchasing from an unreliable seller.

Use trusted secondary online payment services.

Instead of using your personal credit card for payment, consider paying through a secondary online payment service like PayPal.  This enables you to send payment without revealing your personal card information.

Check your credit card billing statement.

Check your credit card bill right away especially when you made an online purchase.  If you don’t receive your billing statement for this month, inform your credit card issuer immediately.  ID thieves often call the credit card issuer and ask for a change of address to prevent the real credit card owner from learning about the unauthorized purchase right away.